ARMAGH CLINCHED PROMOTION to the top flight of the GAA football league on a dramatic day in Division 2 that saw Laois survive due to an amazing late rally.
Armagh notched the final four points of the game in Cusack Park in Ennis to defeat Clare by 1-18 to 1-13. When the teams were level late on after a Keelan Sexton pointed free, Colm Collins and his Clare team were battling for promotion but ultimate defeat and results elsewhere meant they were clinging on in sixth place.
Clare survived on the head-to-head record due to their victory over Cavan in early March as Mickey Graham saw his side drop down after they lost out to Roscommon by two points.
The biggest escape act of the day was performed by Laois who outscored Fermanagh by 3-3 to 0-0 in the closing stages to win 3-12 to 1-11 and survive in the second tier for another season. Laois looked in trouble when they trailed 1-11 to 0-9 with Tomas Corrigan having scored 1-5 for Fermanagh while captain Kieran Lillis had been sent-off for the Leinster side.
Advertisement
But Laois mounted a remarkable revival, kick-started by a penalty converted to the net by Gary Walsh. He added a point to cut the gap to the minimum and then Walsh grabbed his second goal to push them in front. Walsh would finish with 2-5 and Paul Kingston scored the third goal that sealed their victory.
Jack O’Connor could also celebrate as his Kildare team defeated Westmeath by 0-16 to 0-11 to ensure they avoid the drop. They followed up last Sunday’s win over Cavan and in fact the Kerry native saw his team claim victories in the last three rounds of the league as they finished up in third.
Armagh will be delighted at having clinched promotion with Callum Cumiskey’s early goal helping them go ahead 1-6 to 0-2 in Ennis. Clare pegged them back to be trailing 1-7 to 0-9 at the interval. Cian O’Dea scored their second-half goal while Eoin Cleary was top scorer for the Banner with 0-8. They were level at 1-13 apiece before Armagh pulled clear in the closing stages with Rian O’Neill (0-6), Oisin O’Neill (0-3) and Rory Grugan (0-3) providing important tallies.
In Newbridge, Kildare went in front 0-8 to 0-5 against Westmeath at the break and eventually won by five.
Westmeath cut the gap to two with ten minutes left but Kildare scored four of the last five points of the game. The Lilywhites were grateful to Jimmy Hyland (0-5) and Neil Flynn (0-3) for helping them win while John Heslin (0-4), Ronan O’Toole (0-2) and Ger Egan (0-2) pointed the way for Westmeath.
Division 2 Football League Results
Cavan 0-13 Roscommon 1-12
Clare 1-13 Armagh 1-17
Kildare 0-16 Westmeath 0-11
Fermanagh 1-11 Laois 3-12
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Close
3 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic.
Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy
here
before taking part.
Armagh celebrate going up and Laois produce stunning comeback on dramatic final league day
ARMAGH CLINCHED PROMOTION to the top flight of the GAA football league on a dramatic day in Division 2 that saw Laois survive due to an amazing late rally.
Armagh notched the final four points of the game in Cusack Park in Ennis to defeat Clare by 1-18 to 1-13. When the teams were level late on after a Keelan Sexton pointed free, Colm Collins and his Clare team were battling for promotion but ultimate defeat and results elsewhere meant they were clinging on in sixth place.
Clare survived on the head-to-head record due to their victory over Cavan in early March as Mickey Graham saw his side drop down after they lost out to Roscommon by two points.
Smith brothers lead Roscommon to Division 2 crown once again as Cavan dramatically relegated
The biggest escape act of the day was performed by Laois who outscored Fermanagh by 3-3 to 0-0 in the closing stages to win 3-12 to 1-11 and survive in the second tier for another season. Laois looked in trouble when they trailed 1-11 to 0-9 with Tomas Corrigan having scored 1-5 for Fermanagh while captain Kieran Lillis had been sent-off for the Leinster side.
But Laois mounted a remarkable revival, kick-started by a penalty converted to the net by Gary Walsh. He added a point to cut the gap to the minimum and then Walsh grabbed his second goal to push them in front. Walsh would finish with 2-5 and Paul Kingston scored the third goal that sealed their victory.
Jack O’Connor could also celebrate as his Kildare team defeated Westmeath by 0-16 to 0-11 to ensure they avoid the drop. They followed up last Sunday’s win over Cavan and in fact the Kerry native saw his team claim victories in the last three rounds of the league as they finished up in third.
Armagh will be delighted at having clinched promotion with Callum Cumiskey’s early goal helping them go ahead 1-6 to 0-2 in Ennis. Clare pegged them back to be trailing 1-7 to 0-9 at the interval. Cian O’Dea scored their second-half goal while Eoin Cleary was top scorer for the Banner with 0-8. They were level at 1-13 apiece before Armagh pulled clear in the closing stages with Rian O’Neill (0-6), Oisin O’Neill (0-3) and Rory Grugan (0-3) providing important tallies.
In Newbridge, Kildare went in front 0-8 to 0-5 against Westmeath at the break and eventually won by five.
Westmeath cut the gap to two with ten minutes left but Kildare scored four of the last five points of the game. The Lilywhites were grateful to Jimmy Hyland (0-5) and Neil Flynn (0-3) for helping them win while John Heslin (0-4), Ronan O’Toole (0-2) and Ger Egan (0-2) pointed the way for Westmeath.
Division 2 Football League Results
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Division 2 Gaelic Football Armagh Kildare Laois